


The Box is Closed

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-07 05:11:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10352886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: Missing scene from "Politics"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

The Box is Closed

The shimmering blue event horizon of the Stargate rippled as the returning SG-6 emerged from its glowing center. Major General George Hammond turned away from the briefing room window that overlooked the gate and headed to the stairs leading down to the control room. Sergeant Siler watched him with guarded eyes as Hammond gestured towards the gate. 

"OK son. Close the wormhole and take the dialing program offline." 

Siler blinked at him owlishly behind his wire rims. "Sir?" 

"We are officially shut down as of...." Hammond checked his watch, "16:25 hours. We are to close the gate and await official notification by the Senate Appropriations Committee." He straightened his tie. Closing down this command was not a duty he was looking forward to but he was above all else, a soldier. He would proceed with his orders in a calm, proficient military manner. SG-6 was the last field off-world unit to return through the Gate. Leaning past Siler, Hammond grasped the microphone. 

"SG-6! Your debriefing is scheduled for 900 hours tomorrow. Get cleaned up and report to the mess hall for an announcement." Through the observation window, he could read the confusion in their body language and curious looks. A meeting in the Mess hall was highly unusual but Hammond wanted an informal setting for this most distressing announcement. He could have told the various personnel through the chain of command after meeting with all of the supervisors but he felt that these men (and women, he corrected himself) deserved to be told by him, not some impersonal re-assignment memo from Corp HQ. After satisfying himself that Siler had everything under control, he turned and headed back up the stairs to his office. 

As he passed the conference room table he noticed the scraps of paper discarded by the members of SG-1. On impulse, he gathered them up, shrugging out of his Class A jacket and continuing into his office. Moving behind his desk, he pulled open the bottom desk drawer and extracted a bottle of very contraband twelve-year-old scotch and a highball. He poured half a finger and tossed it back as he perused the papers. 

The top one had to be Daniel Jackson. It had hieroglyphics all over it. Written in English on the bottom was one word with an ornate box drawn around it. SHIPS. The next paper must have belonged to Captain Carter. The date was written in the right hand corner and all of the people attending the meeting were listed under it. She had apparently tried to keep notes but had given up as the meeting had deteriorated. The last paper was obviously Colonel Jack O'Neill's. He had drawn a caricature of a man hanging from a scaffold. Hammond chuckled as he noticed a resemblance between the hanged man and Lt. Colonel Samuels. He was going to miss the vitriolic humor of Colonel O'Neill most of all. He was always good for a laugh when things seemed hopeless. Unfortunately Jack was not in a joking mood at the moment. 

_Neither am I_ thought Hammond. He looked around his office taking in the personal objects he had scattered throughout the room. He had a lot of packing to do. Retirement was definitely just around the next corner. He poured himself another finger of Scotch and left it on the desk as he stood and buttoned himself into his jacket. He was expected in the mess hall in a few moments and he would be damned if he was going to keep those young people in suspense any longer than he had to. SG-6 should be getting there right about now. He tossed back the drink and left his office, shutting off the light and closing the door with a crisp click. The sound had a finality he didn't like and he purposely left the conference room lights on as he passed through it. 

Siler watched as Hammond came down the stairs. The General nodded at him as he passed by. Siler shook his head silently as he continued to tap commands into his computer. 

He didn't envy the General at this moment. Siler shook his head again. 

"Politics. What a mess" 

Dr. Janet Frasier stuck her head into the mess hall at exactly 16:30, grimacing at the number of people crammed into the room. It seemed every off duty and non-essential person on the base was there, clustered around the various tables. There was an air of expectancy in the air. This was a highly unorthodox gathering and the higher pitch of the murmuring testified to the knowledge that there was an important announcement coming this afternoon. She spotted SG-1 sitting at a table in the front of the industrial size coffee urn. Sam, seeing her standing hesitantly in the doorway was waiving her over. 

As she pulled up a chair, Janet couldn't help but notice that the mood at this table was downright gloomy. Daniel had his glasses off and was rubbing the bridge of his nose. Sam was looking at him with concern and something else. Pity? Teal'c sat at a kind of parade rest across from Janet. His dark eyes giving nothing away. It was Jack O'Neill that had all of her alarm bells ringing. He was hunched in his chair with his hands steepled in front of him, looking forward at something only he could see. There was a controlled fury written all over him and Janet hoped she was nowhere in the vicinity when he decided to blow. 

"So kids", she quipped in an attempt to lighten the mood, "What's wrong? They burn the meatloaf again?" 

Jack treated her to a filthy look and resumed his dead stare. _Oh Shit_ , thought Janet. _Not even a sarcastic comment about the food. This must be a disaster._ Sam shot her a warning look and turned back to Daniel who was replacing his glasses. _A Mega-disaster_ she corrected herself. Janet folded her hands together on the table and joined her friends in their silence. 

_Sometimes silence really is golden_. 

Hammond turned the corner leading to the mess hall. Standing around the opened doors were the latecomers that hadn't arrived early enough to secure a seat. Seeing the General, they immediately filed into the room and spread themselves out along the walls. 

_Standing room only_ he thought. The noise in the room had quieted down to a few dispersed whispers. Finding SG-1 sitting at one of the front tables, he nodded to the team. Everyone acknowledged him except Colonel O'Neill. He sat in an insubordinate slouch. His posture screaming louder than any tantrum he had ever thrown, and Hammond had seen some of his worst. He fixed his most stern glare at the Colonel as he walked to the front of the crowded room. He was rewarded with an insolent stare but O'Neill still managed to sit up and straighten his jacket. Hammond smiled to himself. Even O'Neill knew where to draw the line when dealing with this particular General. 

"OK people" Hammond said, "Settle down." The noise in the room stopped almost at once. 

"As most of you are aware, we had some VIP's here this morning. Senator Kinsey and Lt. Colonel Samuels were here on a fact-finding mission to determine the feasibility of maintaining the funding to Area 52, designated, The Stargate Program. The Senator, his aides and Lt. Col. Samuels met with SG-1 for just under an hour, at the end of which, the Stargate Program has been, in essence, de-funded." 

There were amazed gasps from all over the room. There were angry exclamations, not a few of which were directed at SG-1. 

"What the hell did you tell them, O'Neill?" The Team sat there and said nothing. Not even bothering to defend themselves. 

The General began to speak again. More forceful this time. 

"SG-1 was selected by the President to represent this facility and our program. At no time, was there any hint of impropriety or ill will between SG-1 and the Senator and his staff. It was simply decided that the dangers inherent in this type of travel were too great to ignore any longer. As he is the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have no choice but to concede to his wishes." 

Hammond paused now to look at the young faces filling the room. Either he was getting older or they got younger every year. Suddenly he was unbearably tired. 

"Over the coming weeks, most of you will be reassigned to various 'shut-down' teams within this complex. I know you will carry out your assigned tasks with the same diligence and industry you have shown me in the short time we have served together. I wanted to bring all of you together one last time to tell you that I have never been as proud of a command and its staff as I am of this one. It has been an honor serving with each and every one of you, and I plan to make sure that all of your transfer preferences are given top priority in the coming months. Now I know you have quite a lot to think about, so I'll leave you to get back to whatever you were doing. Dismissed." 

Janet watched as the General stood there for a few moments more. The silence in the vast room was a tangible thing. With one last glance at the assembled staff, he nodded and left the room. Head up. Posture straight. Janet couldn't help but admire the presence of the man. As he left the room, there was an audible drawing in of breath. The murmuring began again after a few moments. It grew in volume as the various SG Teams and their support staff began discussing the shocking announcement. She looked at her tablemates with some trepidation. Unlike the rest of the room, SG-1 was silent. As if everything had been said already. 

"Well, I guess its back to the 10th Medical Group for me." Janet said. 

Sam looked up at that. "Surely you're not going to just let them reassign you to a Hospital post?" 

"I probably won't have much of a choice." The tiny doctor shrugged. "I was there when this program started. It seems fitting that I should go back there. It won't be the same though. I'll miss all of the excitement around here. Where else could I work in the Military, where I'd be on the cutting edge of medicine? I don't think there will be many alien virus' at the Air Force Academy." She smiled. "Maybe I should apply to USAMRID. At least there I'd be doing research. I'm not sure I could happily go back to treating blisters again." 

Daniel turned to Jack and gestured with his glasses. "Jack…maybe we could talk to Samuels and explain about the alternate reality…" 

"Danny! The guy helped shut us down! What exactly should we say to him? Hey Sparky, we know that you don't believe us but we really need you to speak to the Senator?" 

"It couldn't hurt." This came out as barely a whisper. Janet placed her hand on Daniel's shoulder but he shrugged it off. "If we don't do something now, you know what's going to happen! The ships are coming!" 

"Dammit Daniel! Even if we could believe that, they're not listening anymore! They…are…not…listening." 

Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair and stood up suddenly. Janet had to tilt her head back to see his face as he continued. "That reference to Independence Day was a brilliant move though Danny boy. That made everything crystal clear. Oh. And calling Kinsey a fool was helpful. Not to mention me yelling at the guy. That was just perfect! We did a great job!" 

Sam couldn't let this continue. "Sir, You did the best you could…" 

"Our best sucked today, Captain." Jack turned his back and walked out, yanking on his tie as he left. Janet was stunned by his behavior. The Colonel could be arrogant and sarcastic, but rude was not his usual MO. She glanced at her friend and saw the hurt reflected in Sam's eyes. 

"Don't worry Captain, I'm sure he's just frustrated." 

Sam looked at her and stood up. "I have some reports to get out before I start closing down the lab. I'll see you guys later." Janet couldn't let her leave like that. "Sam! Want to meet for a drink later?" Sam turned and Janet was floored by the look of defeat in the Captain's blue eyes. "Not tonight Janet. I'm just going to head home when I finish up. I'm kind of tired." 

Sam left the mess hall. Her slumped posture in direct contrast to her usual bouncing enthusiasm. Janet made a note to call her tonight. Besides being her Doctor, Janet was her friend as well and Sam looked like she needed a friend. What a mess this had turned out to be. Damn the Senator anyway. He wasn't going to make her shut down the infirmary one minute sooner than she had to! 

Turning to Teal'c, Janet looked at his stoic face. "What about you Teal'c? Are you going to return to Chulak?" 

Teal'c gave an uncharacteristic nod and addressed himself to Daniel instead. "I must see the General about returning home Daniel Jackson. I cannot remain here if this world does not intend to continue it's fight against the Goa'uld." Daniel looked exasperated. "Teal'c! We have to go to the coordinates I got from in the alternate reality. We can't just give up!" 

Teal'c bowed his head to the two of them and got up. "I agree with you Daniel Jackson, but the Senator seemed most resolved. He will not allow us to open the gate. I must leave this planet before this facility is closed completely. If I were to remain here, my infant Goa'uld …" 

"I know. I know." Daniel interrupted. He perches his glasses on the end of his nose and stood next to the tall Jaffa. "But if we do nothing, this planet is finished. I've seen it! We can't let this end this way. Some stupid reference to Pandora's Box and poof! End of the only chance Earth has!" Janet stood next to Daniel and tried to decipher that last comment. "What do you mean, Pandora's Box?" 

Daniel looked down at the Doctor and grimaced. "Just something the Senator told Jack as he left this afternoon." Janet raised her eyebrows and waited expectantly. "Just that the *Box* is finally closed." 

Janet lead the way as the three of them left the Mess Hall. There was finality to their steps. An ending to something that never really had a chance to start. As they split up at the first intersection of corridors, Janet waived absently at the others, moving slowly towards the infirmary. She pondered the archeologist's final statement, wondering what she was missing. 

"Pandora's Box was closed?" Fin   


* * *

>   
> © October 29,1999 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television,   
> Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd.   
> Partnership.  
> This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and   
> solely meant for entertainment.   
> All other characters, the story idea and the story itself   
> are the sole property of the author.   
> 

* * *

  


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